Wright and Ryan to be Honored at UVa Season Opener
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Oct. 29, 2012
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia’s all-time leading scorer, Monica Wright, will have her number retired during a halftime ceremony of the Cavaliers’ Nov. 9 season opening game against James Madison at John Paul Jones Arena. During the same ceremony, Hall of Fame coach Debbie Ryanwill be honored with a new banner at John Paul Jones Arena to recognize her accomplishments.
Virginia’s season opener against JMU on Friday, Nov. 9 will tip-off at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.
Wright’s No. 22 will be the fifth women’s basketball number retired by the program, joining Donna Holt (11), Dawn Staley (24), Cathy Grimes (25) and Wendy Palmer (31).
“Monica Wrightmade a lasting impact on the Virginia women’s basketball program and she’s very deserving of this honor,” said Virginia’s Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage. “She is joining some very impressive company when her number is retired alongside those other great former Cavaliers.”
“It’s fitting that we recognize Debbie Ryan’soutstanding career at UVa on the same night that she is able to celebrate the accomplishments of one of the many great student-athletes she coached during her Hall of Fame career. Debbie is a pioneer for women’s basketball, not just at Virginia, but nationally.”
Wright is the first Virginia player to have both her jersey and number retired. Her jersey was retired in ceremonies following her final regular season home game in 2010. The numbers of players honored with jersey retirement remain active, but Wright’s No. 22 will now be retired.
Wright finished her career at Virginia by averaging 23.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game en route to first team All-America honors from the Associated Press, WBCA and U.S. Basketball Writers Association. She was selected the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year. Wright is UVa’s all-time leading scorer with 2,540 points – a total that ranks third in ACC history.
Wright was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the second overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft and went on to win a WNBA Championship with the Lynx in 2011.
Ryan, Wright’s coach at UVa, will be honored with a banner in the east end of John Paul Jones Arena that will be displayed alongside those that pay tribute to Virginia’s players whose number is retired. A new graphic in the Virginia Basketball Hall of Fame, also located at the east end of the arena, will also recognize Ryan’s coaching accomplishments.
Ryan was the head coach at UVa from 1978-2011 and her Virginia teams compiled an overall record of 739-324, participated in the NCAA Tournament 24 times and made three-consecutive Final Four appearances. Her teams reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen 12 times, won three Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament titles and 11 ACC regular season championships. Ryan was honored as the Naismith Coach of the Year in 1991 and earned ACC Coach of the Year honors seven times.
Single-game tickets for all 2012-13 Virginia women’s basketball home games will be on sale exclusively through VirginiaSports.com from Friday, Oct. 26 at 9 a.m. until 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 29. After 9 a.m. on Oct. 29, single-game tickets as well as five-game Family Packages can also be purchased in person or by telephone through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium. Season tickets for Virginia’s 15 regular-season games are on sale now and offer savings from 28-50 percent. Reserved season ticket prices are $100 for adults and $75 for youth (18 & under), seniors (60 & over) and UVa faculty/staff. General admission season ticket prices are $85 for adults and $65 for youth (18 & under), seniors (60 & over) and UVa faculty/staff.
The four-game mini-package and three-game Tip-Off package are also currently available for purchase. The four-game mini-package allows fans to pick the four regular season games that best fit their schedule for $30 per package. The Tip-Off package includes the first three home games of the season against James Madison (Nov. 9), Providence (Nov. 18) and West Virginia (Dec. 2) and is priced at $20 per package. All mini-package seating is within the reserved areas in the lower level of John Paul Jones Arena.